A.J. Foyt becomes 26th Spirit of Ford Award winner

On Thursday evening, motorsports legend A.J. Foyt was honored with the Spirit of Ford Award in a ceremony during the Road Racing Driver’s Club dinner in Long Beach, California.

The Spirit of Ford Award is Ford Motor Company’s highest honor in auto racing, which recognizes the achievements and contributions of influential members of the motorsports community through the years.

Foyt (right) was also joined at the dinner by former NASCAR driver Dan Gurney as the dinner also commemorated the 50th anniversary of the pair’s 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours victory – the only victory at Le Mans by an all-American team with all-American drivers.

"A.J. was one of my heroes in racing when I first followed the sport,” said Ford. “When looking back at his magnificent career, the question isn’t what did A.J. drive, but more what didn’t he drive and win in? His passion for driving and his commitment to the sport since his retirement have made him more than worthy for all the halls of fames he is part of."

In a career spanning into many forms of auto racing, Foyt’s achievements include winning the Indianapolis 500 four times, 67 wins and seven championships in the Indy Car series and seven-time winner in the NASCAR Premier Series, including the 1972 Daytona 500.

Take a look at all the recipients of Ford’s prestigious award through the years: